Celtics Notebook: Bayless proves valuable for C's

Sunday

Mar 30, 2014 at 8:32 PMMar 30, 2014 at 8:40 PM

By Scott SouzaDaily News staff

BOSTON — Jerryd Bayless came off the bench midway through the first quarter as a shooting guard in Sunday night's game against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden. When the Celtics face the Bulls again Monday night in Chicago, Bayless will be starting at the point in place of Rajon Rondo.In a league where being labeled a "combo guard" is often a subtle dig at a player who can't handle the ball quite well enough to run the point, or score or defend well enough to be strictly a shooting guard, Bayless has filled both jobs admirably since being acquired in a Jan. 7 trade with the Memphis Grizzlies."It's a great compliment if they can play both well," Celtics coach Brad Stevens said of the "combo" tag before the game. "It's kind of like a switch-hitter where usually they are better from one side than the other. But I do think that Jerryd has done a good job at both positions."His ability to score the ball whether he is playing (point or shooting guard) is one of his greatest strengths. A lot of what he's been able to do for us at (point) is be able to score from there. The other night (Friday in Toronto) he really got it going and we really rode him all the way to the end."Bayless entered the night of Friday's 20-point effort in which he hit 8-of-13 shots in 26 minutes off the bench. For the season, he entered Sunday's game averaging 9.7 points in 24.5 minutes with the Celtics and 8.9 points in 22.9 minutes overall."I've been in situations throughout my career where I kind of have gone back and forth," Bayless said. "I have no complaints about it. It's the situation I'm in here right now with this team. I'm just trying to make it work."Bayless started 10 games — and mostly performed well — for the Celtics at shooting guard alongside Rondo when Avery Bradley was on the shelf with a sprained ankle. Stevens said Bayless took it upon himself to alleviate any lineup-switch awkwardness upon Bradley's return when he volunteered to come off the bench."Those are the guys who have been here," Bayless reasoned. "Avery's had a great year. Rajon is obviously who he is — he's a four-time All-Star. Would I like to start? Yeah. But at the same time, those are the guys who have been here for a long time. They are both very good players. For us to be successful, they have to play well. Whatever I can do to help this team move forward is something I want to do."Bayless, who will be a free agent this summer, reiterated his first choice moving forward is to remain in Boston."I've said that a million times," he said. "Hopefully, they see me part of that. I hope everything works out."Stevens said he hopes so as well."He's a good guy to have on your team," the coach said. "He's a bright guy. He thinks about the game on both ends of the floor. He's physical and he can score the ball in a flurry."I like him. I'd like to have him. I'm a big fan of Jerryd Bayless."

Celtics honor BFDThe Celtics wore black Boston Fire Department T-shirts in pregame warmups and while on the bench in honor of those who fought Friday's deadly Back Bay blaze. …Rondo once again played with a white bandage on his nose and forehead covering the nine stitches he needed after talking an elbow to the face during the third quarter Friday night.Scott Souza can be reached at 781-398-8006 or ssouza@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @scott_souza.